Grechen Shirley, Brooks hold rally for Roe

Posted
Thursday, July 12, 2018 9:28 am

Liuba Grechen Shirley, candidate for the 2nd Congressional District which includes Wantagh and Seaford; and State Sen. John Brooks of Seaford who is running for re-election this year, hold a rally on July 3 to defend the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision in light of the resignation of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Courtesy of Liuba Grechen Shirley’s campaignt

By Eden Laikin

Liuba Grechen Shirley, candidate for NY’s 2nd Congressional District which includes Wantagh and Seaford; and State Sen. John Brooks of Seaford who is running for re-election this year, joined activists around the country to defend the Roe v Wade decision — as President Donald Trump considers who the next Supreme Court Justice will be.

The focus since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement announcement has been on the prospect of a new justice joining with the Supreme Court’s current conservative bloc to overrule the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing a woman’s constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

Grechen Shirley and Brooks held a rally on July 3 in their Suffolk County coverage area to ‘stand up for women’s access to healthcare and the protection of the right to choose,” according to a news advisory for the event by Grechen Shirley’s campaign.

“Choice is under attack in America,” said Grechen Shirley, U.S. Rep Peter King’s Democratic Congressional opponent. “Justice Kennedy’s retirement means our reproductive freedom could be rolled back in a matter of months. We need leaders in Congress who will oppose any pro-life Supreme Court nominee. Pete King believes doctors who perform abortion should be charged with murder, voted to ban abortion multiple times, and wants to defund Planned Parenthood. Now more than ever, Long Island needs a prochoice champion in Congress—-not a man who is trying to control women and our bodies.”

State Senator Brooks said, “Women’s rights are under attack and New York State needs to step up and lead. State Senate Republicans have proven that they are anti-choice and will stop at nothing to block efforts to protect women’s health care. That is why we need to elect Democrats this November, to the State Senate, the State Assembly, and the U.S. Congress. I am proud to stand up for women’s rights and I will keep up the fight to protect women’s rights and health care options.”

According to Grechen Shirley’s news release. King “is staunchly anti-choice, voting to ban abortion-inclusive federal health coverage, partial-birth abortions, transporting minors to get abortions, and Family Planning funding in U.S. aid abroad. Justice Kennedy’s retirement threatens an imminent strong conservative majority in the Supreme Court and the repeal of Roe V. Wade. In light of this affront to reproductive freedom, these activists and local leaders will publicly decry King’s record and call for Long Islanders to fight for their federal right--in the streets and at the ballot.”

A representative for King’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Brooks earns Working Families endorsement

A day before the rally, Brooks announced that he earned the endorsement from the Working Families Party for his re-election campaign. Micheil Yohannes, Long Island Political Director of the Working Families Party, said “John Brooks has been a strong fighter for working class families on Long Island, protecting them from the devastating federal tax plan and fighting for fair wages, workers’ rights, and paid family leave.”